Chapter 5 HE WAS JUST AROUND

"You've been ignoring me Maureen. What's wrong with you? Did I do something?" Trina pouted and tried to get my attention.

We just finished eating at the restaurant after I picked them both from the airport. And at that time I never talked to Trina even if she was trying to ask what was wrong. I was not talking to her not just because I am mad at her or anything, it was because my mind can't stop from thinking. Ever since Avriell's dad showed up to me, I can't stop the nervousness I feel.

When Trina didn't get an answer to her question again, she wandered around the condominium where we live for good. I put Avriell into the room, who was now sleeping peacefully. Look tired because of the flight.

"When we were on the call, this was not the condominium you showed," she was still looking around and being confused. "It was impossible if you renovated it so quickly and it looked like you just arrived too as we are."

Her stare turned at my other things that have not been fixed yet. The others just landed and the others are still in the box.

"This is not the first condominium I showed to you, I looked for something else." I answered her now.

"Oh you have a voice now, I thought you would not talk to me for a year." She jokingly said when I finally talked to her. "Maybe you don't want the first, I like this more. You still have a great taste."

I didn't pay any attention to what she said next. I smiled weirdly at her, which made her stop looking around and give me a weird expression too.

"What are you trying to do?" She pointed at me using her index finger, suspecting about my next action.

"K*ll you." I grab her hair so fast that it makes her scream from pain.

She stopped my hand and tried to take it off by pulling her hair. It's not that hard, she was just dramatic. As I said I am not mad at her, I am actually more mad at myself. I just did it and so somehow I can stop for a minute to think about the fear inside me. I also let go of her when I got satisfied.

She looked at me badly. "What's wrong with you? That hurts!"

I sat on the sofa before answering him.

"He was here and he and Avriell met already." I said that makes her look confused. "In the time that I left her to you."

"He? Who?" She was fixing her messy hair pouting. "Ouch! Ouch! Look what you did!"

I feel sorry for her in my mind.

I feel like I'm already traumatized about everything that happened to me. It was so easy for me to get nervous. I overthink so much and mostly I've been shaking even if it was still not happening. I don't want this feeling!

"A man who took advantage of me a year ago...." The tears on my eyes started to flow down my cheeks.

"Wait, what? But Avriell is always by my side..... I don't know anything... they met? How?" She stopped fixing her hair and started to feel guilty all of the sudden.

That doesn't matter to me anymore.

"The father of Avriell was just around." I looked at Trina with fear on my face. "I am scared of Trina, I can't forgive myself if my daughter will experience what I've experienced before."

She sat beside me.

"Did he do something to you? Did he hurt you?" She asked me worriedly as he wiped the tears from my eyes. "Tell me, don't be scared."

She comforted me. For a few minutes, I just hugged her and cried on her shoulder, until I finally stopped and got tired from crying. I feel weak about myself. And that's what I'm afraid of, I don't want to be weak. I can't be weak. I have Avriell in my life.

"I have a lawyer friend, he can help you so he doesn't get too close to you anymore. To both of you." She suggested but it doesn't change the fear that I have.

"I don't think he can help," I shook my head. "Did you know about Francia Cosmetics?"

"Of course, that was one of the most famous brands here in the Philippines." She nodded her head but stopped when her confusement showed up. "Why did you suddenly ask that? I understand you are a model before so you like a different brand of cosmetics but not this time, we can't talk about that another time Maureen."

She immediately got irritated about my question.

"Do you think I am more concerned about those cosmetics than me and my daughter's situation?" I rolled my eyes at her.

"Then why did you suddenly ask that? I'm confused." She muttered and went to the kitchen to get some water.

She also handed me a glass of water but I just placed it on the small table in front of me.

"The owner of that brand is the father of Avriell." I announced that made her spilled the water she was drinking.

She only responded with a surprise look. She was still standing and stunned and so I decided to say goodbye to her and gestured that I will go to sleep too. In that kind of expression, I knew I couldn't talk to her properly and I was tired, that's why I wanted to rest.

I lay my back on the bed and lay next to Avriell.

"I will make sure no one can harm you." I kiss her forehead. "Even your biological father."

Before I close my eyes I wish that if the father of my daughter shows up again I hope I already know a solution to our situation. That's all I need right now, a peaceful mind to think smart about my actions.

[FAST-FORWARD]

"I insisted, just stay here. I don't know anything about design, I can't answer them if they have a question so you just stay here." I insisted on buying food for us.

Trina came with us here not just because of me and Avriell, it was because she wanted to have a 2nd branch of her bar here. Me and Avriell came with Trina to the place of her second branch for her bar so that I could somehow get my daughter out of the apartment. I know she is already bored in that atmosphere.

The only thing missing is redesigning and Trina is good at that so she is also assisting the people who are working for her. While Avriell and I were just on the side, watching her. Until Trina came to excuse herself to buy food because it was already lunch time, but I stopped her and insisted on doing it.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

I nodded before looking at my daughter.

"What do you want?" I asked her in a soft voice.

She stopped playing with her toys and looked at me thinking so hard. Trina and I laughed because when it comes to food, she will really think about it for a long time. She has a personality that is so hard to decide but if she already decided it, you can't change it anymore.

"5 hours? What do you think? How many hours?" Trina chuckled.

"Shhh!" I gestured to her to shut up and just wait for a little more.

"I already know what I want!" In excitement, Avriell even stood up to tell me.

"Ice-cream momma!" She's so cute with her little voice.

"With?" I already expect something to be added to her request.

It was required of her..

She was playing with her little fingers and started to smile at me so genuinely.

"Fries! Choco...chocolate syrup mommy!" She said in so glad but she stopped when she remembered something she wanted more. "Can I request banana milk too?"

"Of course, banana milk for a good belly." I pinch her tummy softly that makes her giggle. "Copy, ma'am."

I am not that old yet but I can deny that I easily forget. That's why I said to Trina to just text me what to buy.

I just walked. I'll just cross to the other side and that's it, just in front of his bar are the supermarkets and stores. While the fast food is just a little more walk. I bought the food that Trina texted first and our food. I will last the ice-cream because it will melt.

I just ordered seven pcs of ready to eat full meals, for people who work as the text said. The next thing I bought was for the three of us, I ordered a burger, spaghetti and fries. We already ate before we went so I didn't buy the full meals anymore, meals that had rice.

After I got my order from the fast food restaurant, I went straight to the supermarket to look for the ice-cream and bottled water and other Avriell's requests. It's not hard for me to look for it because there's a label on every side of the store, and so I easily get almost everything in a short time, only the banana milk makes it hard to find.

"Are you selling banana milk?" I asked the one staff member who was organizing the goods.

I can't find it.

"I'm sorry but we don't have any stock of that, you can try in the other store." She answered genuinely.

But before I could answer, she looked at me carefully.

"You look familiar, I think I already saw you somewhere." She was thinking so hard. "I just don't remember it, wait......"

I looked at her, the way she looked at me, she was really trying to know me. I move my face away from her.

"I don't think so, excuse me." I excused myself immediately and went back to the drinks area.

I just got two variants of juice that my daughter also likes so she can choose. As I hurriedly walked to the cashier, I bumped into a woman in a hoodie and black pants. It's kinda weird because she was wearing a shade and mask too. It was so hot.

Some of the others I got to buy fell off so I went down and picked them up.

"Be careful! Omygod my dress!" Artful moaning of the woman I bumped, I stopped.

I looked up at her and stood up straight. Even if she was wearing glasses and a mask, I can't go wrong with her voice. I know it was her. She also stopped and couldn't speak, I knew she recognized me. We have been in one department for 7 years so it was so impossible that she can't remember me. Even though I gained weight, I know she will remember me.

Her voice reminds me a lot.

"Why are you shaking Gezel? It was just me. Are you not happy to see me?" I asked her politely with a badass smile.

She acts normally even if the fear in her eyes is obvious.

"I think you should be the one who is afraid because if ever the media will know you're here, your issue will go back." She used my past issues to turn me down. "They will attack you again Maureen, so if I were you. Go back and hide again."

"You mean the issue that you planned a year ago?" I asked, smirking.

"I d-don't know what you're s-saying...." she buckled while denying it, which made me laugh softly. "How many times do I have to tell you that I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Just accept what you did, there is no media, you can lie." I looked at her and acted like I was disappointing her. "You are so successful now because of me, aren't you thanking me?"

"Shut up! I deserve this! I worked ard for this!" She looked around, seeing if someone was hearing it or looking at us.

I just gave her a simple smile and shook my head. "No, you don't deserve anything Gezel."

My eyes turned to the man and a woman who approached her. They are wearing the same like Gezel's outfit, it was just in a different color but obviously they don't want to recognize either. I can't recognize who the girl is but the boy gave me a lot of memories to remember.

It was Ruiz. How can I forget my ex-fiancee?

My stare goes down to the hand of Ruiz holding the girl's hand at his right hand . I don't know what I will feel but I looked back to Gezel when Ruiz removed the hand when he saw that I was looking at it. The girl looked at him, even if she didn't talk, I know she was wondering why Ruiz took his hand from her.

I act clueless. Ruiz was so shocked that he even moved forward to look at me closer.

"You know her Gezel?" The girl is so innocent. "You, you know him, Ruiz?"

I wait for them to answer the question of the girl.

I saw the nervousness on Gezel's eyes because of my appearance and I was enjoying to see her like that.

"No one...." Ruiz answered and stepped back. "Maybe a fan...."

No one? A fan? My heart was in full happiness before when he was saying that I am his biggest fan because I really did. I was his biggest fan but how come I feel disappointed about his answer now? Is he ashamed to say that I became his fiancee back then? And who was that girl that he even lied to about our real identity? Maybe his girlfriend?

"Oh, I told you some will notice us." The girl looked at me smiling, she looked kind. "You can take a picture of him but you keep quiet, we might get crowded. We don't have any bodyguards, okay?"

I want to laugh at this point.

"I don't like to have a picture with them." I said directly to the girl.

"But you are a fan of Ryiz, right?" She was confused. "Or maybe Gezel?"

"Maybe before but not now, not anymore. Mostly her...." I looked at Ruiz before going to Gezel.

"I don't know you but you look kind so be careful, miss. Be careful who you trust." I gave her genuine advice.

"Shut up! Go away!" Gezel pushed my shoulder using her right hand that made me step back.

I didn't stop, instead I still looked at the girl that was now confused.

"What are you saying?" The girl asked.

"Ask them, what is the reason why I advise you to be careful. They can answer that, excuse me." I added before leaving them hanging out but while walking away suddenly a plan came to my mind.

I looked around at this supermarket. There are a lot of people, mostly teenagers and students, who fit my plan. I approached the three girls who were already looking at them, like they were asking each other if they were correct. I approached them nicely.

"Your thoughts were right, it was Gezel and Ruiz. The famous actor and model. I even asked them for a picture." I act like I was so blessed and thankful that I saw them.

Their faces lit up with excitement. They were about to leave to run there but I pulled them back. I'm not done yet!

"Shout, sharing is caring, remember?" I smiled at her before letting them leave in front of me.

I couldn't stop laughing when they actually shouted it. Everyone approached them. They were mobbed by people who wanted to get autographs and take pictures with them.

I noticed the annoyance on Gezel's face when she looked at me. You want fame? You want people to adore you and Idolize you? Well then, have fun now.

I winked at her before mouthing the words "Your welcome".

I looked at Ruiz and she accidentally looked at me too. I took my stares to him immediately and paid everything that I bought and moved out of the store quickly. In his stares, there's a possibility that someone would remember me.

Another problem came, Gezel already knew that I was here but I stopped my mind to think about her. She was making me irritated even if she didn't do anything yet.

When I came back to the bar I fixed the food I bought so the employee of Trina could eat. One of the employees said that Trina was in a comfort room with Avriell when I asked where they were. I waited for them so we could eat at the same time. I didn't wait long, Trina and Avriell were telling jokes to each other when they came back. They are so cute.

"Yummy?" I asked Avriell.

She licks the syrup so much.

She nodded at me, smiling. "Yeah, but I won't share it with mommy."

I laughed, I didn't even ask that.

"I'm not asking though," I chuckled and pinched her cheek softly. "Try spaghetti too, not just like that. Okay?"

"Later." She nodded.

I continued eating until I noticed that the bracelet she was wearing had a red light. I noticed this when they arrived but I didn't ask because I thought Trina gave it to her but it looks like it's not. Avriell was smiling so wide looking at the light of her bracelet. I don't know if she pressed it to light up or it just lit up on its own. It's already lighting when I looked at it.

"What is that smile?" I try to get her attention.

She was still looking at the bracelet smiling like a bright light but her response to my question made me freeze for a second.

"He was just around." She said it in a low voice before going back to her food.